The Southern Observer » man (552 games) for second-fastest. Ma

Scott Cullen takes a look at the top stories from January 3rd through January 9th, including the World Junior Hockey Championship, a coach getting fired in Toronto, Luongo returning to Vancouver, frustration in Boston and more. GOOD AS GOLD Team Canada won gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship, clinging to a 5-4 lead to defeat Russia in the gold medal game. Canada raced out to a 5-1 lead in the final, only to allow three goals in a span of 2:32 in the second period to let the Russians get right back into the game and then it was a white-knuckle ride the rest of the way. It was Canadas first gold at the event since 2009, and it came relatively easily, with their New Years Eve game against the U.S. the only real challenge before the gold medal game. Team Canada outscored their opponents 34-5 in six games leading up to the final matchup, a game that looked like it was going to be easy pickings, until it suddenly wasnt. Canada had the tournaments best power play (9-for-21, 42.9%) and the highest save percentage (.938) as the duo of Zach Fucale and Eric Comrie got the job done while facing minimal work (20.57 shots per game) -- a dominant team performance. For Team Canada, getting back to the winners circle eases some pressure. They are contenders (perhaps even favourites) every year, so when the years between wins start to add up, frustration can build. This year, they embraced their home-team favourite status and delivered a gold medal performance, one that was appreciated by a large audience nationwide. CARLYLE GONE Even though the Toronto Maple Leafs were sitting in eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, with a positive goal differential, Randy Carlyle was fired as head coach. In one respect, maybe that would be considered a surprise, given their place in the standings, but the end has been coming for a while, and Carlyle finished his run in Toronto with one regulation win in the last nine games. He finished his Maple Leafs tenure with a 91-78-19 (.535) record, which is entirely mediocre, but there have been signs for quite a while that Carlyles approach was inhibiting the Maple Leafs puck possession. Given that the Leafs now have some analytically-inclined voices in hockey operations, these shortcomings had to be known and if the trend wasnt going to change, then it made sense to see what Torontos players could do with a new voice guiding them from behind the bench. If the players cant perform any better under interim coach Peter Horachek, then it becomes easier to see which players definitely need to go, as opposed to those that may have been dragged down by Carlyle. Horachek didnt have any grand success as head coach in Florida last season, going 26-36-4 after taking over from Kevin Dineen, but the Panthers had a 49.6% score-adjusted Corsi under Horachek last season (after Dineen started the year at 46.5%). Puck possession isnt the only responsibility for a coach, but if there are tangible measures that indicate the puck is going in the wrong direction, its something that needs to be addressed and it appears that the Maple Leafs have decided there wasnt enough improvement in that aspect of the game under Carlyles watch this season. THE BLAME GAME It didnt take long, literally a few hours, for blame for Carlyles ouster to get shifted to the Maple Leafs players, none moreso than Phil Kessel. Yes, Phil Kessel, who has 255 points in 253 games since the start of the 2011-2012 season. Blame wasnt outright cast upon Kessel but, on the day of his coach getting fired and the previous coach throwing players under the bus, Kessel was asked about whether or not he is uncoachable. Well, thats certainly leading the witness, a question that obviously isnt going to be well-received by anyone, and some witnesses took the bait. This isnt to suggest that Kessel is blameless. Whenever a coach gets fired, the players could assuredly have done more, but taking the uncoachable angle immediately, without appearing to even consider data that suggests Carlyles coaching is a drag on puck possession, shifts that blame unfairly. This isnt unusual. Taylor Hall got it when the Oilers fired Dallas Eakins. Alex Ovechkin gets it every time the Washington Capitals fire a coach. If Ottawa had a high scoring forward, maybe he would have taken the heat when Paul MacLean was fired. The point is that there are a lot of places to aim the blame when a bad team fires its coach and Toronto has no shortage of worthy targets to consider before getting to the teams elite scoring winger. So, dont be surprised if that winger doesnt feel like he should be the one taking the hit. UNACCEPTABLE Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs teed off on his team this week, describing their first-half results as unacceptable and that missing the playoffs would be viewed as an incredible failure. The Bruins have made the playoffs in seven straight seasons, winning a Cup in 2011 and losing the Cup Final in 2013, so expectations are naturally high, but as they were on-the-outside-looking-in at a playoff spot, Jacobs wasnt going to let it slide. The Boston fanbase has been on edge. When I put out a complimentary tweet about David Pastrnak -- their first-round pick in the 2014 Draft -- the feedback was full of frustration, with Bruins fans already dreading the day when the skilled Czech forward gets traded for a fraction of the value (presumably in reference to Tyler Seguin and even Joe Thornton trades). Since Jacobs call to arms, the Bruins have won both games, stealing one in overtime at Pittsburgh and then thoroughly dominating New Jersey, to put the Bruins into the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. What Jacobs outburst really signals, though, is that the pressure is on head coach Claude Julien and, perhaps, GM Peter Chiarelli. When the big boss makes public declarations like this, that tightens collars throughout the organization. WELCOME BACK, LU There was a time that the Vancouver Canucks couldnt wait to get rid of Roberto Luongo or, more specifically, his contract that runs through 2021-22. Now that hes gone back to Florida to play for the Panthers, there is probably some appreciation for a guy who gave Vancouver some really good years. From 2006-2007 through 2013-2014, Luongo posted a .919 save percentage in 448 games for the Canucks, which ranked him among the leagues best in the time. The Canucks rolled out a video montage to show their appreciation, then got to watch Luongo stop 32 of 33 shots to help Florida to a 3-1 win. WORLD JUNIOR STARS The World Junior Hockey Championships are a great showcase for young hockey talent, and this years event was no different. What was interesting, however, is that some of the best players in the tournament, were players that had not been drafted by NHL clubs. Slovakian goaltender Denis Godla was named Best Goalkeeper after he turned back 224 of 242 shots (.926 SV%) to help Slovakia win a bronze medal, their second-ever medal in this event. Small samples can make goaltenders look better than they really are, but given how difficult it is to secure talent between the pipes, there should be opportunities ahead for Godla. The winner of Best Defenceman in the tournament was Russians Vladislav Gavrikov, a 19-year-old who is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and while he doesnt have a lot of KHL experience -- three games -- Gavrikov will also garner interest. The Best Forward at this years tournament was Canadas Max Domi, the 12th overall pick by the Coyotes in the 2013 Draft. Domi thrived on the wing, playing with Sam Reinhart and Anthony Duclair, and finished the tournament with 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in seven games. The tournament All-Star team, selected by the media, included Godla (also named MVP) and Domi. They were joined by three Canadians -- defenceman Josh Morrissey and centres Sam Reinhart and Connor McDavid -- and defenceman Gustav Forsling of Sweden. Forsling was a fifth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks last summer and finished the tournament with eight points (3 G, 5 A) in seven games. Hes been playing for Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League, where he has five points, and is plus-3, in 29 games. Morrissey, picked 13th overall by Winnipeg in 2013, has 21 points (7 G, 14 A) and is minus-9 in 27 games for Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League this year , but also played 28 AHL (regular season plus playoff) games late last season, so hes likely going to get a good look for an NHL spot next season. Reinhart, the second overall pick last summer, was overmatched while playing with Buffalo early in the season, but he went back to the WHL, where he has 27 points (8 G, 19 A) in 15 games for Kootenay and anchored Canadas best line in the tournament, putting up 11 points (5 G, 6 A) in seven games. McDavid, touted as the top prospect for the 2015 Draft, lived up to the hype, posting 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in seven games. Not bad for a 17-year-old who was coming back from a broken hand. McDavid has 51 points (16 G, 35 A) in 18 games with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League this season. BACK TO JUNIOR Anthony Duclair, who spent the first part of the season with the New York Rangers before he was loaned to Team Canada, was returned to the Quebec League, where he has rejoined the Quebec Remparts. Duclair had seven points (1 G, 6 A) and has solid enough possession stats (51.4% Corsi, +1.1% Relative Corsi) in 18 games for the Rangers, then scored eight points (4 G, 4 A) in seven games at the World Juniors. The 2013 third-round pick becomes a huge addition for Quebec, a team that already has the third-best record in the league. The Edmonton Oilers, who have been busy making roster changes, decided to send Leon Draisaitl back to the Western Hockey League, after not letting him play for Germany at the World Juniors. Draisaitl, the third overall pick last summer, had nine points (2 G, 7 A) and solid possession (52.1% Corsi, +3.6% Relative Corsi) in heavily-sheltered usage for the Oilers, but as the Oilers season appeared to be headed for the lottery, its not unreasonable to give Draisaitl a half season of heavy usage with a good team in the Western Hockey League to develop his offensive game further. Draisaitl joins the Kelowna Rockets, a team that already has the best record in the WHL, so they have to be considered strong Memorial Cup contenders. BLUES ERUPT Winding up last week, the St. Louis Blues had lost six of seven a slide that started with goaltender Brian Elliott out of the lineup and continued beyond his return. Then, this week, the Blues busted out with two 7-2 wins against San Jose, sandwiched around a 6-0 win against Arizona and, suddenly, half the team is hot. Since December 5, the Blues have scored 60 goals in 15 games, easily leading the league in that time. RIP J.P. PARISE J.P. Parise, the former NHLer who played for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series, died at age 73. Parise scored 594 points (238 G, 356 A) in 890 NHL games, mostly with the Minnesota North Stars and New York Islanders. After retiring, he was an assistant coach for the North Stars before running the hockey program at Shattuck-St. Marys prep school. Parises son, Zach Parise, is a star forward for the Minnesota Wild and, naturally, the loss has hit him hard. Hockey was our thing, Parise said. Him coming to every game or watching every game and talking to him after every game and talking hockey, thats not there anymore. CONCUSSION LAWSUIT The NHL attempted to get a concussion lawsuit, brought by former players, dismissed in federal court. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson didnt make a ruling but said, I think its a very close call, to be honest. On one hand, the NHL argues that the collective bargaining agreement should take precedence and that this claim is coming after the statute of limitations has passed. The players counter by saying that the CBA doesnt apply to former players and that players didnt know how their injuries would affect them long-term. This suit doesnt necessarily seem like its making great headway, but it wasnt dismissed out-of-hand, either. If Nelson decides that the suit can proceed, well, then the arguments will have to get much more serious because big money will be involved. Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.ca Wholesale Basketball Jerseys China . Nick Holden scored two goals and had an assist and the Avalanche held off the Nashville Predators 5-4 Saturday night for their fourth straight victory. Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic . Head coach Corey Chamblin announced on Monday that Avon Cobourne had been hired as the defending Grey Cup champions new running backs coach. http://www.chinanfljerseyswholesale.net/. The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. NFL Jerseys China . Radulov scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Predators edged the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night to reach 100 points for the second time in three seasons and fourth in seven. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- A hard-to-describe feeling comes over Cole Hamels every time he faces the Cincinnati Reds, especially in their hitter-friendly ballpark. The left-hander just feels good from the first pitch to the on-field high-fives at the end. Hamels pitched into the eighth inning as he stayed unbeaten in his career against Cincinnati, and Jimmy Rollins moved closer to the Phillies hit record with a solo homer, leading Philadelphia to an 8-0 victory Friday night. The Phillies ended their longest losing streak of the season at six games. Cincinnati dropped its third straight. Hamels (2-3) improved to 10-0 in 13 career appearances against the Reds, holding them to three runs or less each time. The Phillies have won all of his 13 starts against Cincinnati, including his five-hit shutout during the 2010 playoffs. Hamels made his big league debut at Great American Ball Park in 2006 with five shutout innings, and he remembers that feeling every time he returns. "Its a great memory and its everlasting," said Hamels, who allowed five hits and struck out seven in 7 2-3 innings, throwing 125 pitches. "Thats what I take from it: This is it, this is what I worked for since I was a little kid. I take it out there year after year." The Phillies piled up 11 hits with eight players getting at least one. "A lot of guys contributed," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "That will go a long way going into tomorrow with momentum with a lot of guys." Rollins hit his seventh homer off Johnny Cueto (5-5), who lasted only five innings for his shortest start of the season. The solo homer left Rollins six hits shy of the club record. Rollins has 2,228 hits with the Phillies, trailing only Hall of Famer Mike Schmidts mark of 2,234. Domonic Brown had a two-run double and a sacrifice fly, and John Mayberry Jr. singled home a run off Cueto, who matched his season high by giving up six hits. Cuetos ERA jumped from a league-leading 1.68 to 1.97. "Thats what good ballclubs do," Brown said. "They do things like that. They pick each other up. I think were growing every day." Cincinnatis offence remained in a deep slump. The Reds llost to the Giants 6-1 on Thursday, with the last 19 batters going down in order.dddddddddddd. The streak reached 25 in a row before Zack Cozart singled in the third inning. Their scoreless streak is at 17 innings and counting. Ryan Ludwick had a chance to break the streak, but was thrown out at home in the seventh inning as he tried to score from third base on a ball that bounced away from Carlos Ruiz. The catcher recovered quickly and threw to Hamels, who tagged the sliding Ludwick. "An unbelievable play," Sandberg said. "Textbook. Its a fundamental play, but you dont practice it every day." Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth to get in some work. His next save will make him the 26th pitcher to reach 300, leaving him tied on the career list with Bruce Sutter and Jason Isringhausen. The closer for the Red Sox and Phillies was the fastest to his 200th save, getting it in his 359th game. If he gets No. 300 in his next appearance, he will tie Trevor Hoffman (552 games) for second-fastest. Mariano Rivera got No. 300 in his 537th game. Chase Utley had three hits and a sacrifice fly for the Phillies. He was hit by a pitch and was picked off first base by Cueto, who needed 92 pitches to make it through five innings. Cueto uncharacteristically hit two batters in the same inning and gave up his first homer in five starts. NOTES: Roberto Hernandez (2-3) starts for the Phillies on Saturday against Alfredo Simon (7-3). Hernandez is trying for his first win since May 4. ... The Phillies promoted INF Ronny Cedeno, who batted .286 with a homer and 20 RBIs for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. LHP Cesar Jimenez was designated for assignment to the minors. ... Cincinnatis Brayan Pena was hitless in four at-bats, extending his slump to a career-worst 0 for 17. ... RHP Mat Latos will make one more rehab start before the Reds consider activating him. His last start for Triple-A Louisville was stopped after 67 pitches because he had a calf cramp. Latos wanted to be activated rather than make one more appearance in the minors, but the Reds want him to get to 100 pitches before he goes back into the rotation. ' ' '